Infrared imagers are commonly used for thermographic inspections of equipment. State of the art for infrared inspection process involves use of an uncooled, radiometric, focal plane array, infrared camera plus visible camera built into a lightweight, hand-held package with onboard digital memory, an LCD display, and interactive user interface. Visible light imaging systems are also used for inspection of equipment. Examples of such applications are borescopes, fiberscopes, and even conventional video cameras.
Various dynamic measurement systems have also been developed to monitor the operational health of equipment. Examples of such systems are vibration analysis devices, sonic or ultrasonic measurement devices, and electromagnetic spectrum analyzers In addition, various devices have been developed for measurement of conditions that are often more static in nature, such as temperature, pressure, and lubrication properties.
Typically, vibration analysis and infrared analysis have been handled as distinct and separate condition monitoring techniques with regard to walk-around inspections, routes, or surveys. The maintenance departments of industrial plants have employed totally separate devices for each different condition monitoring method. For example a typical industrial plant often uses an infrared camera for infrared inspection, a multi-frequency sonic and ultrasonic inspection system for acoustic monitoring, a videoscope for video inspection, a minilab oil analyzer for on-site oil analysis, and a fast Fourier transform (FFT) equipment analyzer for vibration, flux, and current analysis.
Existing technology does not adequately address all of the needs for integrating the collection of imaging information with other sensor measurements. What is needed is a system that provides portable imaging capability with portable dynamic sensor measurement capability plus optionally portable static measurement capability.